John

Franklin-Myers

Just days after acquiring Franklin-Myers from the Jets, the Broncos have given him a new deal to keep him with the team through 2025. The veteran defense end, who totaled 33 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season, will reportedly receive $7.9 million in guaranteed money. Franklin-Myers is a valued pass rusher and run stuffer along the interior. He’s totaled 14.5 sacks over the last three seasons and 154 pressures per PFF. He should provide plenty of punch to Denver’s interior.

Franklin-Meyers started all 17 games for the Jets last year, totaling 3.5 sacks and six TFLs. The Jets have a slew of young pass-rushers that all need playing time. Though Franklin-Meyers is a reliable veteran, he was due to see a reduced role in the Jets’ defense in 2023. Instead, he’ll get a shot at a starting role in Denver.

Per ESPN’s Field Yates, the team converted $4.3 million of his base salary into a signing bonus. The move creates roughly $3.5 million in cap space for this year. As Yates notes, this gives them some extra flexibility as they are expected to restructure Aaron Rodgers’ contract soon.

Franklin-Myers left the game in the second quarter, but was able to walk off the field under his own power.

The terms are unknown. The 2018 fourth-round pick of the Rams was headed into the final year of his rookie contract. The Jets claimed him off waivers in September 2019. 25-year-old Franklin-Myers’ development was slow going, but he has been an every-week starter this season and notched three sacks in four games. He is playing heavy snaps and earning excellent grades from Pro Football Focus. Perhaps he is breaking out under new defensive-minded head coach Robert Saleh.

Despite playing in all 16 games and forcing a fumble in the postseason in his rookie year, Franklin-Meyers got axed by the Rams during final cuts. With the Jets’ trenches already being stacked, it’ll be tough for the 2018 fourth-rounder to crack a rotational role.

Franklin-Meyers appeared to be on the right track as a rookie after playing all 16 regular season games and forcing a fumble in the playoffs, but he’ll be sent to waivers in Year 2. The 2018 fourth-rounder will get another shot at cracking an active roster.

Franklin-Myers (6'4/284) was lightly recruited out of high school but put together a quietly stellar career at Stephen F. Austin, earning second-team All-Southland honors as a senior in 2017 while leading the Lumberjacks with 13.5 tackles for loss. He runs well for his size (4.75) but was only a so-so pass-rusher in college (3.5 sacks as a senior). Franklin-Myers may have been a reach at this juncture.